


Failing the Bechdel test

by sevenall



Category: Alliance-Union - C. J. Cherryh
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-31
Updated: 2015-12-31
Packaged: 2018-05-10 18:42:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5596696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sevenall/pseuds/sevenall
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mallory had diverted a carrier for the man and would do it again. This was a harder decision.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Failing the Bechdel test

**Author's Note:**

  * For [opalmatrix](https://archiveofourown.org/users/opalmatrix/gifts).



> A short scene to follow 'A different kind of enemy'.

The flu was bad news for Pell station, even with stationers’ occasional exposure to planetside species and microbes. For a ship like Norway with an aging crew on rejuv, it had disaster potential. Five days out from Pell, there were thirteen confirmed cases in two different carrier sections and the Chief Medical Officer declared L state quarantine. That meant stripping both shifts to a skeleton crew, quarantining the rest and hoping the antivirals were everything Pell health authorities had claimed. Senior officers on rejuv would take their shifts at the Captain’s discretion and their own. In the meantime, Norway’s flight plan was utterly fucked and long-scan was upset.

Mallory had already spent the better part of the morning signing off on procedures when Dr. Sena came into her office to review the new shift schedules. The entire bridge crew had signed up to show their supreme dedication. Or, given recent events, to make more work for Dr. Sena, who would have to approve them. That kind of petty and childish behavior would have to stop. Diagnostics on a carrier was a dicey business at best and Graff hadn’t exactly been cooperative.

Then again, Mallory thought as she watched Dr. Sena read the schedules with unnecessary attention to detail, petty and childish might just be the way to go. Especially as Dr. Sena put the tablet down, without approving anything.

“Captain,” she said gently, as if talking to a subordinate or patient, “I give you my word that there is no medical reason for this. Mr. Graff is in excellent health for his age and rejuv status. His last immuno panel looks great and he’s recovered well from the surgery. ”

“Some credit, Dr. Sena.” Mallory’s voice was a knife. “I read your reports.”

The recent ones had been satisfactory, but she had had to think about succession only weeks ago. Since the Chief Medical Officer had failed to diagnose him, twice, and only an extremely favourable set of circumstances had gotten them to Pell in time, the Chief Medical Officer could damn well sit down and shut up now. Which was nothing but wishful thinking, since she had hired Dr. Sena herself and not for her ability to take hints. Or orders.

“I know you did, Captain.” There was no trace of fear or guilt in Dr. Sena’s face. “If you think me at fault for not diagnosing Mr. Graff earlier, that’s fine. But either you trust me going forward or you appoint a Chief Medical Officer you can trust.”

How very reasonable. Mallory held onto the rage for one moment longer, before letting it go. She was wrong, they both knew it and damn if she would ask Dr. Sena to indulge her. She had diverted a carrier for the man and would do it again. This was a harder decision to take.

“Trust,” she said, “ is not an issue. If you tell me Mr. Graff is fit, I’ll put him on the schedule.”

FIN


End file.
